Latin America

Displays by:
John Shaw mbe frpsl
Glen Stafford
Raymond Todd oam rdp frpsl

Given to the
The Royal Philatelic Society London
4 October 2018
 Introduction
Most of those attending considered the experimental “between seasons” Latin America meeting held in 2016 to
be a success and asked for more of the same; thus, the three of us were asked to give this one o’clock display.
We have tried to present a varied, interesting and visually attractive array from our own interests and which
should provide something for everyone. Glen Stafford has, albeit not in his own words, a world class collection of
the Seebeck postal stationery of Nicaragua, which should provide more than a passing interest to the Chairman
of our Expert Committee; Ray Todd is well known internationally not least for his Chile, a collecting area also
close to my own heart and I especially look forward to seeing his 1910 centenary set with its fine proof/essay
material; I recall, without rancour, the time he outbid me on a lovely Brian Moorhouse auction lot of these – one
that got away! For my part, my collections of Haiti and Paraguay came about almost by accident, purchasing
fairly modest collections of each that no one else appeared to want. Ray Todd and Glen Stafford both live in
Australia and Ray is frequently seen at No 41.
After meeting the late Brian Moorhouse some 20 years ago, I considerably improved both Haiti and Paraguay.
Many collectors of Latin America have much to thank Brian for, not least for his help and his willingness to share
his encyclopaedic knowledge. I love proofs, essays and specimens; and much visually attractive material became
available in the 1980s with the disposal of the vast American Bank Note Company archives, and this material
does not demand millionaire’s money. I treasure my purchases from the late “Bud” Sellers and Joseph Hahn
collections, mostly bought from Brian, and the fact Joe Hahn is now a friend.
Putting together our collections, and making friends with some of the previous owners, has given us all great
pleasure, and the belief that there may be still, undiscovered treasures.
Unlike many other groups, Latin America collectors in this country have no organised body to belong, to albeit
there are apparently strong national societies elsewhere in the world, especially in Chile.
Our thanks go to our president, Patrick Maselis for inviting us to display, to David Alford for his invaluable help
in the production of this booklet and to Nick Martin for his help.
We hope you enjoy the displays.
. John Shaw

The Exhibits:
Frames 1-12 Paraguay Traditional John Shaw
Frames 13-19 Paraguay Postal Stationery Ray Todd
Frames 20-30 Nicaragua Postal Stationery Glen Stafford
Frames 31-37 Chile Traditional Ray Todd
Frames 38-45 Haiti Postal history Ray Todd
Frames 46-52 Haiti Traditional John Shaw

Note: that not all the images are full sized.

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 Frames 1-12 John Shaw
PARAGUAY
Paraguay had no stamps of its own until 1870 but, in 1860, President Francisco Solarno Lopez commissioned
M Stern of Paris to manufacture a die for a proposed stamp issue featuring a “Lion”, the national symbol of
Paraguay. Several essays were printed from the die which Lopez then took back to Asuncion where more essays
were printed some getting into the hands of collectors. The supply of these essays could not satisfy collector
demand and so the forgers got to work – and no less than eight different forgeries of this design, with sub-types,
have been recorded to date and a study of all these is with examples of all eight types is shown in the frames.

The original Lion essay

Other Lion essays were made including the striking “negative effect” essays which, from their very high quality
production, almost certainly came to light when the American bank Note Company archives were sold in the
1980s.

The negative effect essays

In 1870 the first issued stamps appeared, three values denominated in Reales. In 1878 the currency was changed
to centavos and pesos and all three stamps were surcharged “5”, albeit most of those encountered bear either
forged surcharges or are reprints with forged surcharges; all of those shown are “ex-Moorhouse” and genuine.
The printing plate for the two Reales stamp was acquired privately and many reprints were made, at least eleven
different colours being recorded; a complete sheet of 100, in the issued colour, unusually with gum is shown,
together with a guide to identifying reprints.

The three original 1870 values

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By 1890 Paraguay’s highest denomination postage stamp was one peso and so a talented forger, George Kirke
Jeffryes created finely produced five and ten peso stamps which actually found their way into some catalogues;
these totally bogus items are now quite scarce.

The Jeffryes Five and Ten Pesos forgeries

Paraguay next entered dialogues with a series of stamp printers and in 1892 there was a battle between the
American Bank Note Co and Geisecke & Devrient of Hamburg for the contract to print the new definitives, won
by the latter. Both companies produced essays and some essays are forged and come from the same stable as
the Argentina 1892-96 Rivadavia, Belgrano and San Martin definitives. I deviate from just stamps by showing
examples of all the issued stamps of this set on cover, including a single 14 centavos to Uruguay.

14 centavos on cover to Montevideo

American bank Note Co undenominated and unissued progressive die proof

which was the basis for letter cards – see Raymond Todd’s display
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The Lion and National Palace Stamps. 1904 saw the introduction of the beautifully engraved ABNCo “Lion” and
National Palace stamps, each denomination printed in three or four colour combinations, the object being to
issue one for a year, and then invalidate it to minimise profit from theft – a measure which had virtually no effect
at all. These stamps offer a wealth of proof and colour trial material as well as a search for rare perforations.
There were both normal postage and official stamps in basically the same designs except for incorporation of
the word OFICIAL. The officials were issued a year earlier than the postage stamps and, thus, are shown first.
Perforations. Two single line perforators were used, perf 11½ and perf 12; all of the lion stamps may be found perf
11½ and most perf 11½ x 12 but only the 2c Olive-green official and 5c Indigo postage stamp have been recorded
perf 12. Joseph Hahn in his (yet to be published) handbook states both these are scarce; I show a block of the
official stamp but have not yet located a mint 5c Indigo and I do not think Joe Hahn had one. Most of the National
Palace stamps appear either perf 11½ or perf 12 but there are no perf 11½x 12 stamps recorded. Several are known
imperforate and all those recorded by Kneitschel are shown albeit the one peso official only as a single stamp.
Die proofs. Kneitschel lists a number of die proofs of the Lion stamps and all those, including 21 different
postage stamps are shown, but he lists no die proofs at all for the National Palace stamps. Brian Moorhouse
stated he had never seen any and later offered me a complete one peso die proof which proved to be not from
the 1905‑07 issue but from the 1909 colour changes when a one peso stamp overprinted “1908” was issued in
Blue from a single plate rather than frame and vignette plates and we believed this the only example extant.
Although this stamp, and its companion Lion stamps were overprinted 1908 they were not issued until 1909.
The die proof is in the frames.
Colour Trials. Both designs offer a wealth of colour trials, mostly on thin card, sometimes rough, brownish card,
and also on high quality white glazed card and finally on thin stamp paper. The National Palace peso values are
especially attractive and prolific in their variety and, to date, no one appears to have classified them.

Colour trial of the One Peso postage stamp in Black & Brown

Prepared for use but not issued stamps. The two centavos Olive-green postage stamp and all but one of the
official stamps of 10 centavos face value and above, were prepared for use, printed in large quantities, but never
officially issued, although all are listed in Gibbons and Scott. Phillips, at the time managing director of Stanley
Gibbons, in his excellent 1912 handbook professed that only one sheet of each (100 for the lions, 25 for the
National Palace) was made available to the public and bemoaned the fact he still had not been able to acquire a
complete set. At the time of writing he may have been right but the page I show containing over 300 examples
of the 30 centavos yellow is not intended to undermine him since I believe several additional sheets came on to
the market when the South American Bank Note Co archives were dispersed in the 1980s. Although the three
one peso official stamp are scarce, it is unlikely that only 25 of each existed, especially as Kneitschel lists two of
the three in different perforations; but blocks are especially scarce and blocks of all three are shown.
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1907 Stamp Shortage. Both the two centavos Olive-green and the unissued officials did actually see the light of
day in 1907 when the post office ran out of both 5 centavos stamps, and of money, and anything available was
validated for postage and sometimes surcharged, including virtually the whole stock of the 2 centavos Olive-green.
Most of the “unissued” officials were also surcharged.

2 centavos Olive-green
of which almost all were
surcharged

1922 Revolution1922 saw a civil war with the revolutionary council preparing three values but the stamps were
never issued due to failure of the uprising, and blocks of each are shown.

3 pesos unissued
revolutionary stamp

The revolution also saw a completely bogus set of high value National Palace stamps which were so effectively
marketed they found their way into some stamp catalogues. The perpetrator sent these to dealers around the
world at highly discounted face value and included visually attractive varieties such as the inverted and missing
centres etc. Even though living in Buenos Aires he was eventually tracked down and jailed.
Bibliography and References
Phillips, Charles –
The Stamps of Paraguay -
The bogus 20 pesos with 1912
both inverted centre and
Kneitschel, Victor –
missing frame in the
Catalogue of the stamps
same block
of Paraguay - 1947
Moorhouse, Brian and
Hahn, Joseph –
personal, email and
telephone contacts
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 Frames 13-19 Raymond Todd
THE POSTAL STATIONERY OF PARAGUAY
1881-1928
Paraguay is a land locked republic in central South America; the main access to the outside world at the time that
Postal Stationery was first issued and until the mid 1920s was by the river system to Buenos Aires. Accordingly,
all external mails also went by river steamers. There are two great rivers in Paraguay – the Paraguay River and
the Parana River; these eventually feed into the grand Plata River which brought the mails to Buenos Aires.
Some mails from the river postal system are shown in this exhibit identified by their postal markings.
Paraguay joined the U.P.U. on 1 July 1881 and as such was obliged to issue Postal Stationery initially in the form
of postal cards – this issue was followed by envelope and wrapper issues in 1887 and finally letter cards in 1891.
No further postal stationery was produced by Paraguay until the 1980s.
THE POSTAL CARDS
The initial issue of postal cards was issued either in late 1881 or early in 1882 and were lithographed by Roberto
Lange of Buenos Aires; the initial values were 2 c for domestic use and 3 c for foreign use. Reply cards were produced
but there appears to have been a major misunderstanding as instead of producing cards of 2c + 2c and 3c + 3c Lange
produced cards of 4c + 4c and 6c + 6c. Counterfeits of these reply cards are quite common. These reply cards were
later surcharged as 2c + 2c on 4c + 4c and 3c + 3c on 6c + 6c. Only one copy of either of these cards has survived.
The next issue of postal cards was issued in 1884 and consisted of a 2c domestic card and a 3c foreign card.
They were produced by Guillermo Kraft of Buenos Aires.

Proof in green

Pull of incomplete Indicia of the central design with the ribbon but with no value or lettering.
Printed on reverse of mapping paper at Roberto Lange’s works in Buenos Aires
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 1884 issue postal card of 15 October 1888 from San Bernardino to Asuncion
The subsequent issue of postal cards was in 1896 when cards printed by Giesecke & Devrient of Leipzig produced
a 2c domestic card and a 4c foreign card together with 2c + 2c and 4c + 4c reply cards.
The final issue of postal cards was in 1927 when a single card of 70c was produced in both yellow and blue.
This was probably produced at the Government Printing works in Asuncion.

THE ENVELOPES
In 1887 Paraguay issued their first envelopes but prior to this date in 1879 the Buenos Aires printer Roberto
Lange produced essays for envelopes both in reales and centavos, after having similar essays for stamps rejected
by the Paraguay authorities. The only two known of these essays are in the display.

Essay of 10 reales in black on white wove paper

The first issue of the envelopes occurred in 1887 when a blue 5c envelope for domestic use was produced by
Giesecke and Devrient. It is known with an OFICIAL overprint.

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 22 July 1895 – Asuncion to Bocholt, Germany – added 55c in adhesives
to pay for registration 40c and A/R fee 15c (Re-registered in Germany at Cologne)

The 1892 issue of the envelopes consisted of a surcharge on the 1887 issue of 15c to commemorate Columbus
discovery of America. Correctly used, these are quite scarce.
The 1896 issue of envelopes were again printed in Leipzig and consisted of two values viz. 5c and 10c, again for
domestic and foreign postage.
In 1927 Paraguay issued a P 1.50 envelope which showed a map which did not reflect the true northern border
of the country but included the Chaco Boreal region which was part of Bolivia. This disputed territory was the basis of
the Chaco War of 1932-1935 although incidents occurred as early as 1928. In effect at the truce the disputed lands
were given to Paraguay although Bolivia was granted a corridor to the Paraguay River.

Proof of the Peso 1.50 indicia

LETTER CARDS
Paraguay first issued Letter Cards in 1891 printed in Leipzig with two values viz. 2c and 3c; both are known
overprinted OFICIAL.
The next issue of letter cards was in 1896 again printed in Leipzig. Remainders of these cards were used in 1901
as post free New Year’s Greetings from the Post Office.
The final issue of lettercards was in 1900/01 when the South American Bank Note Company produced a series
of four scenic cards. This issue was intended to celebrate the new century. Two of 2c and two of 4c. These
attractive cards were popular more so when it was discovered that one of the 2c cards had the view of a 4c
card on the reverse.

9
 The 1901 turn
of the century
lettercard

WRAPPERS
Wrappers were introduced in 1887 just one value – the domestic rate allowed for a 50 gram rate of 2c. Generally
the rate was doubled for foreign destinations.

1892 – Colonia
Nueva Germania to
Sachsen, Germany.
Added adhesives to
pay for foreign rate

A series of Socialist colonies were established by well meaning Elisabeth Nietzsche, wife of the philosopher,
after encouragement from Paraguay with free land. Most eventually failed. An item from the Australian Colony
is shown in the exhibit.

10 July 1895 –
Argentina Post
– River Boat Mail
to Buenos Aires –
franked 6c.
A 200 gram mailing
as the rate was 2c
for 50 grams –
2c underpaid;
hence taxed

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 Frames 20-30 Glen Stafford
NICARAGUA POSTAL STATIONERY
The Seebeck Era
Introduction
In the late 1800s, Nicaragua was an impoverished Central American nation, unable to produce issues of postage
stamps and postal stationery of an acceptable quality locally. Nicholas Seebeck, of the Hamilton Bank Note
Engraving and Printing Company of New York, offered supplies of an annual issue of beautifully printed postal
stationery and postage stamps, at no cost, on the sole condition that at the end of the issue the remainders
should be returned to the printers. Those remainders would be sold to collectors at low prices.
Seebeck signed a contract with Nicaragua’s Director of Postal Affairs on the 4th May 1889 for Hamilton Bank
Note Engraving and Printing Company to supply their annual quota of postal stationery – postcards, reply cards,
envelopes and newspaper wrappers – for the next ten years. The design would be changed every year or two on
the 1st January, with one design for all values. All postal stationery was to be engraved on steel with the highest
quality artistic workmanship. The designs would then be transferred to flat lithographic stones or plates.
The Hamilton Bank Note Engraving and Printing Company fulfilled the contract until Nicaragua rescinded it in
1898. Postcards in production before the contract was rescinded were delivered at various times in 1899, but
Hamilton provided no new envelopes or wrappers that year.
Nicholas Seebeck died at the age of 42 on the 23rd June 1899 from tuberculosis. Thus ended the Seebeck era
for Nicaraguan postal stationery.
Treatment
This exhibit is structured chronologically to show the unused and used postal stationery of Nicaragua during the
Seebeck period 1890-1899. For each year, postcards and reply cards will be shown, followed by envelopes and
newspaper wrappers, which use the same design dies. In addition, the exhibit covers a wide range of origins
from within Nicaragua and a comprehensive range of destinations. UPU Specimens, printers’ die proofs, essays
and colour trials will also be shown.
Highlights
This exhibit includes four of the 37 known usages of high value business size envelopes, ten of the 94 known usages
of newspaper wrappers, plus proofs, essays and colour trials from the Seebeck period.
Rarity Statements
Rarity Statements are based on research by the Nicaraguan Study Group (NSG), as documented in their Journal ‘Nicarao’.
Reprints
Article 7 of the contract signed between the Director of Postal Affairs and Seebeck states; “The Government shall
permit the Hamilton Bank Note Co. to sell to collectors the stamps which have been received from the Government
and authorises the Hamilton Co. to reprint any when the items received have been disposed of, in order to satisfy the
demands of the collector.” Seebeck did not need to reprint any of the early period postal stationery as he received
sufficient quantities back from Nicaragua. When he was required to reprint any postal stationery items for the
collectors market he would use the same plates but with slightly different inks or card or paper.
References
Seebeck: Hero or Villain by Danilo A Mueses
Postal Stationery of the World by Higgins & Gage
Nicarao Volumes 1‑24 published by the Nicaraguan Study Group (1990 to present)
Nicaragua to 1940 – A Philatelic Handbook by Clyde Maxwell
Nicaraguan Proofs. Hamilton Bank Note Company and the
German Master Engraver and Die Maker Rudolf P. Laubenheimer by Ross Towle and Glen Stafford

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 1890 UPU POSTCARD DIE PROOF
Hamilton Bank Note Engraving and Printing Company (the New York firm of Nicholas Seebeck) printed Nicaragua’s
1890 postcards on cream stock and used two inks for each denomination.
The 1890 postcard Die Proofs were manufactured from steel engraved designs. Only four are known to exist,
each with a different colour combination. Those are: Brown & Light Green, Brown & Lilac, Blue & Light Green
and Blue & Gold. The edges of each of the cards are noticeably irregular, meaning that they were cut by hand
with scissors from a larger sheet.

Engraved colour trial proof in unissued border and imprint colour

Only one recorded in this colour combination. (Blue & Gold) (ex Bill Welch)

Only two recorded in this colour combination. (Brown & Lilac)

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 1890 UPU POSTCARDS
Production details. The 1890 postcards were manufactured as steel engravings. The engraved designs were
transferred to lithographic stones for printing and, as a result, the printed designs are flat and smooth to touch. Four
types of postcards were issued: 2 centavo and 2 + 2 centavo reply postcards were issued for interior destinations
and the adjacent republics of Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica. 3 centavo and 3 + 3 centavo reply
postcards were issued for foreign destinations.

2c postcard. Printed in brown and buff on cream stock. Seebeck postcards 140mm x 91mm

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 1890 UPU 5c & 10c ENVELOPES

Interior destination and adjacent republics rate of 5c per 15 grams

Foreign letter rate of 10c per 15 grams

158mm x 90mm

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 1890 UPU WRAPPER
The first Seebeck wrappers. These were used for posting printed newspapers. 1c for interior destinations and
adjacent republics; 2c for foreign destinations and 4c for overweight printed paper to foreign destinations.
1c and 2c - 195mm x 260mm and 4c - 195mm x 290mm.

Hamilton Banknote Proofs

In 1889, Hamilton Banknote Company (‘HBN Co’) had signed a contract to produce and supply, free of charge,
beautifully designed and professionally produced stamps and stationery each year. At the end of each year any
remaining stock of stamps and postal stationery would be demonetised and returned to HBN Co to be sold to
collectors at a discounted price.
The following information is about the proofs, which are from the Laubenheimer archives for this contract.
Laubenheimer proofs for the 1890 Envelopes and Newspaper Wrappers

Steel engraved proofs for 1890 envelopes For the envelopes design, the top of the shield
of the coat of arms is rounded. The surround (surrounding metal) of each is fully inked
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 Steel engraved proofs for 1890 newspaper wrappers. For the wrapper design, the top of the shield
of the coat of arms is flat. The two value (denomination) tablets of the proof in carmine are uncut
Laubenheimer proofs for the 1891 Envelopes and Newspaper Wrappers
Steel engraved and
lithographic proofs with
uncut value tablets.
The grey proof shows
an inked surround.
The currency legend is
omitted from the
second blue proof

Laubenheimer proofs for the 1892 Envelopes and Newspaper Wrappers

Lithographic proofs
without values for
both envelopes and
newspaper wrappers

Laubenheimer proofs for the 1893 Envelopes and Newspaper Wrappers – unadopted design
Steel engraved die proofs of unadopted
design for envelopes and probably
wrappers, with and without value
tablets (denomination) inserted.
The surround on each proof is inked.
Each of the four impressions is a
negative. What is inked here would be
uninked on the printed product, as with
the lithographic pull of the similar design
shown below. In the lithographic pull, the
letters of the legends are reversed out of
the ink. On these four red proofs, letters
of the legends and all lines are inked.
Some of the numerals are inked, and
some are reversed out of the red ink
The design reads ‘UPU 1893’

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 Lithographic pull of die with uncut
value tablets. Inked surround.
Design has different ornaments

Steel engraved negative die

proof with blank value tablets
and inked surround.
Engraved ‘588’

Laubenheimer proofs for the 1895 Envelopes and Newspaper Wrappers

Steel engraved negative die proof without value tablets and with inked surround

Die proof with value 50c value Lithograph pull of die proof without value

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 Frames 31-37 Raymond Todd
CHILE
THE 1910 CENTENARY OF INDEPENDENCE ISSUE
Chile was a Spanish Colony from 1535 and was ruled from their viceroy in Peru; however, there was much
discontent in the colony and in 1810 a junta formed by wealthy landowners declared Chile independent. Spanish
forces despatched from Peru regained control of Chile in 1814. Notwithstanding this, in 1817 Bernardo O’Higgins
and Jose Miguel San Martin led a sympathetic army from Argentina and eventually the Spanish were defeated
in 1818 and independence was achieved.
As a means of commemorating the centenary of independence the Chile authorities commissioned the American
Bank Note Company New York (ABN) to issue a series of stamps that reflected the struggle and eventual victory.
The source of the designs for the issue were photographs of contemporary paintings depicting various battle
scenes, monuments and portraits, which were sent from Chile to the ABN to enable the design work for the
issue to commence.
These photographs were then used as a base by the ABN chief engraver Skinner to produce stamp sized scenes.
Because there is much detail in the original paintings it was a huge task for Skinner to produce dies that omitted
much of this detail without really affecting the outcome to any great extent.
This vignette design was for the 1 centavo stamp and, as Walter Kaltwasser ����� points out in LP 127-75 of March
2018, the scene is not Chilean but probably European notwithstanding the title of Jura de la Independencia.

Reduced bromide ex ABN archives endorsed on the reverse with Order No 2452
This vignette design was for the 1 centavo stamp and, as Walter Kaltwasser FRPSL points out in LP 127-75 of March
2018, the scene is not Chilean but probably European notwithstanding the title of Jura de la Independencia.
There were three main series completed which make up the issue of 15 stamps. A horizontal format for the
lower values to 25 centavos, a vertical format for the three values of 30 centavos, 50 centavos and 1 Peso and
a vertical format for the three values of 2 Pesos, 5 pesos and 10 Pesos. Artwork and other archival pieces are
shown in this exhibit to support the design process. In one case the painting of The Capture of the Spanish
frigate Maria Isobel had disappeared and the ABNC had to rely on a magazine article to produce the vignette die.
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 Captura de la fragata espanola Maria Isobel
It was necessary to produce dies for both the frames and vignettes as this was a recess printed bicoloured issue.
Except for the value inscription there were basically only three frame designs. The horizontal format frames
are symmetrical whereas the two vertical format series frames are a little asymmetrical. The vignettes were
designed to fit neatly into the frame in the final printing process. Unfortunately, this was not the case as there
are more cases of poor registration between the two plates than not and in fact there is a view that in some
values there could not be a proper registration because at no stage did the vignette fit because it was too large
for the frame. A small study of this feature is shown in the exhibit on Frame 1 Sheet 8.

Marginal corner block (Stamps 9-10 and 19-20) of the 12c value.
Shows a shift to the left of the vignette

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 11 May 1911 – Santiago to Copiapo – the 2c paying the postal card rate.
Shows a shift to the upper left of the vignette
The stamps were printed in two panes of 100 (10 x 10) for the horizontal designs and a single pane of 100 for the
vertical designs. They were printed on unwatermarked paper and were line perforated 12. One curiosity of the
perforations is that the stamps on the marginal edges of the sheets are one perforation larger than the balance
of the stamps in the sheet. Most of the values were first issued on 18 September 1910 (the 15c on 19 October
1910) and as this was intended to be only a short/medium term issue, by September 1911 the remaining unsold
stamps were recalled and destroyed.
In the initial stages of determining a printer for this issue the Chilean authorities probably would have gone
through a tender process with other printers but bearing in mind that most of the recent stamp issues and
indeed postal stationery items had been undertaken by the ABN it is assumed they were favourably looked upon
to complete the contract. The Chilean Consul in New York was the link between the two parties.
Initially the contract would be given an Order Number, in this case it was F2452, and this number would be
endorsed on all sourced material. Individual die numbers were consigned to each of the frames and vignettes,
and to the completed die.

Die proof from ABN archives of vignette for Card mounted die proof of finished
10c value showing die number C – 1222 stamp from ABN archives.
Die C – 936

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 Frames 38-45 Raymond Todd
THE POSTAL HISTORY OF HAITI
FROM FRENCH COLONY TO THE U.P.U.
Haiti occupies the western third of the island once known as Hispaniola discovered by Columbus in 1492 –
the Dominican Republic occupies the eastern part of this large island.
The first colonists of the island were Spanish; the French settled around 1630 and after some disputes the Spanish
reverted to the eastern part of the island leaving the French to form a permanent settlement in Saint Domingue, the
term they used for Haiti as we know it today. The French opened a postal service in 1702 when a horse post was created
at Petit Goave. At the time Saint Domingue was France’s most important colony producing coffee, sisal and sugar.
From the mid 1700s postmarking
devices were supplied to the
Colony from Paris; these were
mainly undated straight line
markers–later some with dates
were introduced. Mail from the
colony to France was dependent
on shipping movements as was
mail to the United States where
Ship Mail was in vogue before
the 1776 Revolutionary War.
Unrest within the colony,
including a slave revolt,
stimulated by the news of the
French Revolution, encouraged
revolution at home and in
1804 Haiti declared itself
independent. Chaos reigned,
commerce ground to a halt
and contact with the outside
world virtually ceased with only irregular ship mails to the United States, Great Britain and France.
Commercial pressures ensured that Haiti was not isolated for too long a period and eventually both the British and French
were permitted to establish Consular Post Office Agencies in Haiti – Britain established a rather sophisticated domestic
system with Jacmel as their main office; the French were located firstly at Cap Haitien and later at Port-au-Prince.
When Haiti joined the U.P.U. on 1 July 1881 both the British and French Post Offices were obliged to be closed.
Contents of the exhibit :-
St. Domingue to 1804 French Colonial Period Internal Mail
External Mail
Ship Mail United States

Independent Haiti from 1804 Ship Mail France

Great Britain
United States
Foreign Post Offices British
French
HAPAG

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The following covers with abbreviated descriptions broadly follow the plan above.
In summary the exhibit includes Haiti’s internal and outward maritime mail only – although some inward mail from
France is shown to demonstrate the usage of town marks on incoming mail. This is a simplified display of the Postal
History of Haiti as there are many sub sections which are minimally covered here including the outward mail to
France, the Petit Poste, the slave revolt and the eventual armed conflict that led to Independence. Each of these is
a collection in its own right.

22 February 1728 – from Cap to Bordeaux.

Ship mail was free by Royal Decree Louis XIV 1676 terminated in 1759
The authorities in Paris supplied town stamping devices to their colony and over a period of time over 200
different marks were supplied. Initially they were all straight line town marks but later marks with a moveable
date were supplied to bigger offices.

24 August 1774 – St. Louis to Cayes – tariff 1 escalin.

(The escalin was a currency founded in the Austrian Netherlands and was used extensively at this time)

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 13 August 1786 – Au Cap to Le
Havre. Two line arrival mark
COL PAR/St MALO.
Tariff of 13 sols to be collected
from the addressee.
(Generally, outward mail
to France did not have an
originating town mark)

From around 1789 there was much unrest within the Colony as news of the Revolution in France inspired the
slaves to revolt; the French were forced out and an Independent Haiti emerged. The new government was not
equipped to handle the necessary aspects of administration. As there was no longer a viable postal system,
commerce and industry ground to a halt and outside communication was totally reliant on Ship Mail.

20 May 1820 –
Port-au-Prince
to New York.
6 cents to pay for postage
– the 2 cents Ship Mail Fee
having already
been collected.
Carried on the Petrel

29 July 1818 – Port-au-Prince

to Nantes by Ship Mail.
COLONIES/PAR NANTES
receival mark in black.
Received in Nantes
22 September 1818 –
2 decimes due by addressee

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Under Article 12 of the Anglo-French Convention of 1843, France accounted to Great Britain for the mail carried
on British ships addressed to France. The rate for mail from Haiti to France under Article 12 was set at 3/4d
per ounce (28 grams). As in Article 13 and others to follow this was based, not on individual letters, but on the
collective total weight. Article 12 was in force from June 1843 until January 1846 and Article 13 from January
1846 until December 1855.

10 June 1845 – Cayes via Jacmel to Nantes.

Struck with local Cayes Paid mark in negative and Jacmel mark (on reverse).
Boulogne receival mark in red 6 July and Nantes 7 July

British Post Offices

25 July 1880 – Jacmel to Paris via London, struck with a C-59 device.
Franked 1/1d adhesives to fully pay first echelon of weight to France.
Small Jacmel Paid dater in red of 25 July1880, London transit mark of 11 August

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French Post Offices

3 August 1868 – Cap Haitien via Forwarding Agent and Vice Consul, L. Vincent and French ship to Kingston.
Thence to London – franking of 8 pence struck with 6 bar A01 canceller with French maritime anchor lozenge
on reverse, London Paid mark and Calais transit mark of 26 August and Nantes receival mark of same day

Hamburg-America Packet Company (HAPAG)

9 December 1876 – Cap Haitien to Port-au-Prince per steamer Cyclop.

This letter was carried on the Intercolonial Service.
Adhesive cancelled with a Sievers & Tippenhauer/Agents rubber stamp

25
 Frames 46-52 John Shaw
HAITI (TRADITIONAL)
Haiti is the western one third of the island of Hispaniola, also known as Santo Domingo and was discovered in 1492
by Christopher Columbus, en-route to America; the eastern two-thirds comprise the Dominican Republic. Haiti had
a chequered history, including occupation by pirates, the Spanish and the French and, with the indigenous natives
all but exterminated by social disease, slaves were imported from West Africa and the Caribbean to work on the
plantations there. One result of the 1793 French revolution was the abolition of slavery at which time Haiti was a
French possession; this went down badly with the plantation owners and so the Haitians had to fight for their freedom.
Toussaint l’Overture, one of their founding fathers was poisoned during a conference in Paris and there ensued a ten
year battle between the freedom fighters in Haiti and the French, most of whom were unwilling conscripts often
struck down with dysentery; the Haitian army however, comprised fit and brave native soldiers led by “hands-on”
senior officers. The culmination of events was in December 1803, ten years after the French revolution when a Haitian
Army division, outnumbered four to one but commanded by a gallant negro Brigadier, Capois-la-Mort, defeated the
French forces of General Rochambeau, who surrendered, thereby gaining Haiti its independence one month later.
Haiti’s first stamps, the liberty heads, appeared in 1881, six different values printed in sheets of fifty from
a common basic electroplate with the value inserted, and printed by MG Richard of Paris; the society was
privileged to recently see the world’s best display of these from the late Brian Moorhouse, so I show just a
smattering of these including postal forgeries; but please indulge me in showing off a complete reconstruction
of the 7 centimes imperforate with the Purves plating guide.
President Lysius Felicite Salomon oversaw Haiti’s membership of the UPU in 1881 and was one of the few
presidents to die in his bed of natural causes. In 1889, four months after his death President F Deus Legitime
came to office and a set of eight rouletted essays bearing his portrait was produced in Germany. However
Legitime was soon deposed and the stamps did not get past the essay stage. Not too much is known about the
Legitime essays save they were found in the effects of a deceased Haitian brigadier in 1890s.

The Legitime
essays – the
full set is
shown in the
frames

There were several different printers for the next few issues, including Charles Skipper and East but Haiti began to
settle into a relationship with the American bank Note Company whose first issue depicted President Simon Sam
or the Haitian coat of arms. Haiti underwent a succession of political problems, including severe financial problems
and 11 presidents in 13 years. In 1902 a provisional government came to power and the Simon Sam stamps were
overprinted, and although the genuine overprints are not scarce there are many forgeries. Some years ago the
notorious forger, Raoul de Thuin was caught and the Philatelic Foundation published a book entitled the “Yucatan
Affair”, with prominent philatelists asked to contribute a chapter on their specialities, the Haiti doyen being the late
FB (Bud) Sellers RDP; de Thuin did not forge any Haiti stamps but did forge some overprints, albeit these forgeries
enhanced the value of only very few of the items; Bud produced an especially fine treatise on the 1902 Provisional
Government overprints which, together with some of the forgeries, is shown in the frames. The real overprinting
was done by hand, resulting in numerous overprint varieties, including overprints tête-bêche vertically and, very
rarely horizontally, with the one example I have seen, on the 5 centimes shown in the display.
Genuine examples
of the Provisional
overprints – one
stamp in each
pair with missing
overprint

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Because the currency was so weak, there were different stamps for inland and international postage, inscribed
respectively in centimes and gourdes and centimes and piastres. The 1906 pictorial issue had its colours changed
in 1913 shortly before a revolution a year later, one coup putting President General Orestes Zamor into power,
who ordered everything in sight to be overprinted with his initials – “Gl. O.Z.”. The philatelic consequence of
this was that virtually all these colour changes, especially of the lower denomination stamps are difficult to
obtain, especially in unused blocks. As far as is known for example, only 2,000 of the printing of 100,000 of the
7 centimes red were not overprinted, and most of those were used for postage.

The very scarce blocks of the 7c and 8c colour changes – ex FB Sellers
Many sets of later Haitian stamps had separate normal postage and airmail postage stamps and the 1949 iconic
Capois-la-Mort issue, showing the gallant brigadier with his horse wounded, rising from the ground sword aloft,
was no exception; they were printed in vast quantities and many of the higher values saw little postal use and,
as an economy, were overprinted and/or surcharged to commemorate other events. I have been fortunate in
obtaining die proofs of all the postage and airmail stamps including the undenominated die shown below.

Undenominated die proof of the Capois-la-Mort normal postage stamps

Charity Surcharges. 1939 saw the issue of Haiti’s first stamps with charity surcharge and this was in aid of the
Port-au-Prince Athletic Stadium fund. The experiment was something of a failure and very few stamps were
sold for postage on correspondence.
Failing to learn from previous mistakes, in 1949 Haiti issued its second set of charity stamps, six stamps and two
miniature sheets, for the anti tuberculosis and malaria fund, but this time, the charity surcharge was increased
to equal to the face value of the stamps. Not unnaturally, the project was an unmitigated disaster, with some 90%
of the printing unsold and officially burned, and with details shown in the frames. Bud Sellers wrote an excellent
article on this issue noting the ABNCo gaffe on displaying a mosquito indigenous to the USA but unknown in
Haiti; the die proofs I show of this issue are all from the Bud Sellers collection.
27
 Die proof of the 1g25c + 1g25c value but without the cross of Lorraine
1949 was also the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UPU and most member nations commemorated
this with a postage stamp issue, including Haiti which issued a strange set of overprinted stamps from
obligatory tax stamps and the overstocked Capois-la-Mort high values. This was not the intention
however, since an issue was being prepared by the ABNCo depicting President Lysius Saloman, who was
president when Haiti joined the UPU and the current president, Dumarsais Estime. However, Estime
was deposed whilst the issue was in the essay stage and all material relating to the issue was ordered to be
destroyed. The progressive die proofs and the 5 centimes green stamp – all ex Bud Sellers – somehow escaped
and these, which Bud considered unique, are the finale to my display.

Undenominated die proofs for the abortive UPU issue showing different portrait aspects for President Estime
Bibliography and references:
Sellers, FB – The Yucatan affair, American Philatelic Society – 1980 – Second edition
Sellers, FB – The Collectors Club Philatelist – Jan-Feb 1997 – Vol 76 No 1

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